Sunday, October 14, 2012

Uduvil Girls' College

Uduvil Girls' College, the first girls’ boarding school in South Asia was
founded on 24th November 1824 by the American Missionaries. There is a
miraculous story behind the arrival of the missionaries. In 1806, five students from Williams College
America were praying. While they were praying a thunderstorm broke out. The
five men went to a haystack for shelter. They saw a spiritual vision. This
meeting was referred to as the 'Haystack meeting'. They decided to spread this
good news to Asia. In 1819 missionaries arrived in Jaffna. Among the missionaries
were Rev Miron Winslow and Harriet Winslow. Harriet Winslow and her husband
started their journey in a bullock cart. The vehicle stopped at Uduvil.
Suddenly they saw an abandoned building. It was a parsonage. The Winslows
decided to live there. They started repairing the house. They thatched the
roofs and windows using palmyrah leaves. During that time women were not
allowed to study. They were destined to do the household works. Harriet Winslow
pleaded the parents to allow their daughters to study. No one agreed to her
pleadings. On a rainy day two girls peeped through the windows and looked
inside the house. Harriet Winslow started talking with them but they ran away. They
couldn't go to their house because of heavy raining. Harriet Winslow gave them
meals and allowed them to stay at her house. Next day morning the two girls
went to their house. Their father was very angry with them because they ate Non
vegetarian meal at the Mission house. He sent his daughters to study under
Harriet Winslow. This was the beginning of Uduvil Girls' College. Now more than
two thousand students are studying at Uduvil Girls' College. Uduvil's principal
chair was adorned by galaxy of women of great calibre

1. Harriet Winslow

2.Eliza Agnew

3.Susan Howland

4.Lulu Bookwalter

5.Hudson Paramasamy

6.Saraswathy Somasundaram

7.C.V.Selliah

8.Shiranee Mills (current principal)

Uduvil is a history of women's education
The pride of the nation
Uduvil will shine forever...........